US-AUS Free Trade Agreement: Linux Australia has developed a How you can fight the FTA webpage available for the Australian Free and Open-Source community. It links our position paper on the FTA, our short summaries on software patents and anti-circumvention, not to mention a link to the Petition On-Line which you should sign if you think these FTA treaty will take away your rights. We also include background info on the issues, and list ways of finding out who your local member or senator is, and what you should say to them.

We're getting some press on the issue too. The more the better. One of the committees stop accepting submissions on April 13 (Easter Tuesday) and the other on April 30 - not long to mobilise the Free and Open-Source community in Australia. Please do your bit where you can.

hypatia: You aren't allowed to make your submission to either the lower house or senate committees public at all. The committee will make submissions public later at their own discretion. Linux Australia is combatting this by making their position paper available on which their submission will be based.

The US-Australia "Free" Trade Agreement (FTA): Linux Australia just released its position paper on the FTA and the negative effect it will have on Open-Source in Australia. This is a very important issue, so if you are in Australia, consider writing a letter to your local member of parliament, submitting something to the senate committee considering this treaty, or raising awareness of the issues in your local IT community. Our mailing list will soon provide details on how you can get involved - but don't wait - the senate committee submission period closes on April 30.